Every kingdom has its royal guards: stoic souls with vigilant eyes, strength of arm, and unmatched loyalty. The Courts of the Shadow Fey are no different. That final quality — loyalty — has forced the black-hearted nobles of the court to seek guardians from unorthodox sources.

Knowing no living shadow fey could be trusted to set aside its own ambition, the fey of the Courts turned towards their ancestors. Cemeteries were pillaged. Corpses exhumed. Spirits pulled from the shadows. The culmination of this fusing necromancy with shadow essence was the deathshade wisp.

These gaunt warriors now stalk the grounds of the kingdom; they are completely loyal to the Courts, and completely dead. Deathshade wisps are skeletal and lank; dark dusky swirls of shadow dance across their rotted skin and stringy hair. Their skin is translucent, their skulls gleam in the dark. Only their grace and pallid complexion hearken back to their true heritage.

Deathshade Wisp          Level 13 Skirmisher

Medium fey animate (shadow, undead)          XP 800

Initiative +14          Senses Perception +12; darkvision
HP 70; Bloodied 35
AC 27; Fortitude 24; Reflex 26; Will 24
Immune Disease; Poison; Acid; Resist Insubstantial; Vulnerable 10 Radiant (if a deathshade wisp takes radiant damage, it loses its insubstantial resistance until the end of its next turn)
Saving Throws +5 against charm effects
Speed 6, phasing 6

m Spear (standard; at-will) • Weapon
+18 vs. AC; 2d6 + 8 damage

M Shadow Step Charge (standard; recharge 5 6) • Shadow, Teleportation, Weapon
The deathshade wisp teleports 5 squares and impales a foe; +18 vs. AC; 4d6 + 8 and the target is restrained (escape ends).
Death’s Journey (standard; encounter) • Teleportation, Weapon
The deathshade wisp may teleport up to its speed. At three separate points along that movement it may teleport in and make a basic melee attack. Each attack must target a different opponent.
Fading Light (immediate reaction; when first bloodied, encounter) • Teleportation
The deathshade wisp teleports 4 squares.

Alignment Unaligned Languages —
Skills Stealth +17
Str 16 (+9) Dex 22 (+12) Wis 12 (+7)
Con 18 (+10) Int 3 (+2) Cha 15 (+8)

Deathshade Wisp Tactics
Despite their hunched and twisted forms, deathshade wisps fight with surprising mobility and grace. They seek to press the advantage as much as possible. Shadow Step Charge keeps them constantly in the fray. Death’s Journey is used in a similar manner. Deathshade wisps do not surrender or retreat, but constantly use their teleporting abilities to reposition themselves.

Deathshade Wisp Lore
A character knows the following information with a successful Arcana check:
DC 20 Deathshade wisps are undead shadow fey. They are mobile combatants who rely on teleporting through the shadows.
DC 25 The practice of raising their ancestors to serve as guards met with some trepidation, even amongst the cruel shadow fey. In an effort to appease dissenters, the Court created a ritual that could be used to send the dead fey’s souls back to rest if the need arose.
DC 30 A sect of shadow fey continues to harbor deep misgivings regarding the treatment of their dead. This sect is said to be very amenable to aiding actions against the Prince and his court.

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